Filament winding apparatus



March 19, 1963 H. LOHEST 3,082,361

FILAMENT WINDING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 26, 1958 INVENTOR.'- HA N S LOH EST @wnao/f ATTORNEYS United States Patent ()fiice 3,082,361 PatentedMar. 19, 1963 3,082,361 FILAMENT WINDING APPARATUS Hans Lohest,Remscheid-Lennep, Germany, assignor to Barmcr MaschinenfabrikAktiengesellschaft, Wuppertal-Oberbarmen, Germany Filed Nov. 26, 1958,Ser. No. 776,532 Claims priority, application Germany Dec. 24, 1957 14Claims. (Cl. 318-6) The present invention relates in general to thewinding and reeling of flexible filamentary material, and has moreparticular refrence to the winding of such material upon spools,bobbins, reels and similar filament receivers. The invention pertainsspecifically to the provision of improved means for regulating the rateof turning movement of the winding reel so that the speed at which thefilament is applied upon the reel may at all times correspond with therate of delivery of the filament to the reel, whereby the windingoperation is accomplished under substantially uniform filament tension;and the present disclosure relates to improvements in the apparatusdescribed in a copending application for US. Letters Patent on theinvention of Hans Lohest in Filament Winding Apparatus, Serial No.600,331, filed July 26, 1956.

In winding devices of the character mentioned, it is conventional toprovide for the adjustment of filament winding speed in response to thechanging size of the spool as filamentary material is wound thereon, orin response to tension variations in the filamentary material as it isapplied to the reel. Such devices, however, do not react instantly, buthave an inherent lag which can not be tolerated at the high windingspeeds required in modern winding apparatus. Conventional winding speedregulating arrangements commonly apply undesirable tensions in thethread and thereby tend to cause thread breakage, especially where thin,lightweight filaments are involved.

' Arrangements wherein the winding speed control devices are caused toreact to' the tension of the material being wound rather than to thewinding diameter of the spool have the advantage not only of preciselymaintaining uniform winding conditions as the winding diameter of thereel increases during the winding operation, but also of adjusting thedevice in response to momentary variations in tension which may occur atrandom in the filamentary material during the winding operation. On theother hand, filament tension variations are often so infinitesimallysmall, especially in thin, fragile filaments, that such variations haveto be amplified for transmission to the control device, necessitatingthe provision of expensive amplifying equipment.

Control mechanisms of the sort heretofore known, which operate to switchthe spool driving motor off and on, in order to maintain a desiredfilament tension, can not be successfully used for high speed windingoperations because of the violent disruptive sparking which develops atthe make and break contacts of the associated switches.

To provide for regulating the speed of a filament winding spool or reelwhile avoiding the foregoing shortcomings and disadvantages, theaforesaid earlier filed copending application for US. Letters Patentproposed a speed control arrangement embodying an alternating currentmotor having a short-circuited rotor, preferably provided with increasedrotor resistance, or a Ferraris motor, electrically energized withalternating current power supplied, at potentionals varying withfilament tension, through transformers having secondary windingsinterconnected in series and including a principal power supplytransformer and a regulating transformer operable to modulate thepotential, at which energy is supplied to the motor, in response tovariations in thread tension, the electrical potential delivered throughthe regulating transformer being varied with threat tension to therebyconstitute the regulating transformer either as a supplementarypotential source, to increase the potential applied on the motor, or asa choke coil for potential reducing purposes, in order thus to controlor regulate the speed of the reel driving motor very precisely andeconomically, such arrangement being particularly effective where theregulating transformer is controlled by an electronic switching circuitconnected in its primary circuit to control the supply of energizingpower thereto under 'the control of a thread tension feeler.

Where a single phase alternating current motor is controlled in themanner taught in the aforesaid copending application for US. LettersPatent, one winding of the motor is connected to the controlled energysource through an operating condenser. Such a condenser, however, whenespecially fine threads are being wound, un der low thread tension, isunable to accommodate the highly variable operating requirements, suchas large variations in the rate of rotation which become necessary asthe winding reel is filled from empty to com-' pletely wound condition.A condenser of selected size will provide for optimum operation only ata particular speed. Furthermore, the output differences of a motordriven at constantly varying speed are insufiicient to ac commodate theopposing torque requirements of the Winding reel where large differencesin winding diameter are involved. The torque yield of the motor towardthe end of the winding operation is insufficient to maintain the desiredpull on the thread being wound, which consequently decreases to anundesirable extent. Moreover, the condenser required in such windingdrives is an excessively expensive item, the cost of which it is nowproposed to eliminate. I

An important object of the present invention is to provide improvedcontrol means for regulating the speed of a filament winding reel whileavoiding the above noted shortcomings and disadvantages of apparatusheretofore provided for the purpose; a further object being to providefor controlling the speed of a winding reel driving motor by energizingthe same at variable voltage fluctuating above and below a basepotential supplied by a principal power transformer; a still furtherobject being to provide for increasing or decreasing such base potentialin accordance with variations in the tension of afilament being woundupon a reel driven by the motor.

Another important object is to control the speed of a reel driving motorby connecting one winding of the motor directly with a source ofenergizing power, while energizing another motor winding at a variablevoltage which fluctuates above and below the base potential of a powersupply source in accordance with variations in the tension of a filamentbeing wound on a motor driven reel; a further object being to connectone winding of an alternating current motor directly with a source ofalternating current power, while connecting another winding of the motorwith an alternating current power source and an associated voltagemodulating device for motor speed regulating purposes; a still furtherobject being to supply alternating current power at varying potentialupon a winding of an alternating current motor by connecting saidwinding with the secondary windings of a pair of transformers energizedfrom alternating current power sources relatively displaced as to phase,including means operable to control the delivery of energizing power toone of the transformers in accordance with momentary tension conditionsprevailing in a filament being wound on the motor driven reel.

Another important object is to provide for regulating the operatingspeed of an alternating current motor by connecting one of its windingswith a suitable power source, such as a phase of a polyphase powersupply line, while connecting another winding of the motor in circuitwith the series connected secondary windings of a pair of transformers,the primary winding of one of which is energized from another phase ofthe power supply line, the other transformer being energized from stillanother phase of the supply line through switching means operable inaccordance with the motor speed variations to be accomplished.

The foregoing and numerous other objects, advantages and inherentfunctions of the invention will become apparent as the same is morefully understood from the following description which, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of filament winding apparatus embodying thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of the apparatus shown inFIG. 1;

. FIG. 3 is an electrical wiring diagram of a motor control systemembodying the invention;

FIG. 4 is a wiring diagram showing the details of switching circuitryindicated generally in the diagram comprising FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a vector diagram for the circuit arrangement illustrated inFIG. 3.

To illustrate the invention the drawings show winding apparatuscomprising a winding spindle 11 adapted to support and drivingly turn athread winding receiver R, such as a tube, mandrel, spool, reel orbobbin. Conventional bearing means of any suitable or preferredcharacter may be employed for supporting the shaft for turning movement,as on a support frame or base 12. The base may also support anelectrical motor 13 drivingly connected with the spindle 11 and operableto turn the receiver R at desired speed for winding a filament upon thereceiver. In accordance with the present invention, filamentarymaterial, such as a thread F, may be delivered from a supply source,such as a storage reel (not shown), or directly from a spinning machine,through a thread guide G, for winding upon the receiver R as the same isturned on and by the motor driven spindle 11. The guide G may be of anysuitable or preferred character; and it may be actuated by conventionaltranslation mechanism T driven by a motor M, in order to cause thethread guide G to travel back and forth longitudinally of the receiver Rat desired speed. The spindle and guide driving motors are preferablycaused to operate in synchronism; and, of course, the guide actuatingdevice T, if desired, may be drivingly connected directly with thereceiver driving motor 13. By using a separate motor M, however, thereceiver driving motor 13 will be free from the guide driving load, andhence will be fully available for the task of driving the windingreceiver. As a consequence, it may have a relatively low power rating,and hence will be more sensitive to regulation in accordance with theteachings of the present invention.

The filament F is preferably delivered upon the winding receiver at asnear constant delivery speed as possible. The filament may be deliveredto the receiver past a sensing device S which may conveniently comprisean axially movable stem .14 carrying a grooved filament engaging head 15and a spring 16 arranged to yieldingly urge the stem 14 in a directionto press the head'15 laterally against the filament as it passes to thereceiver. The thrust of the spring may be adjusted to correspond withthe filament tension under which it is desired to accomplish the windingoperation. As the diameter of the wound filamentary material increaseson the receiver R during a winding operation, it will be seen that thedirection of the thread changes as it passes from the head of thesensing device S toward the receiver, the deflection angle Aprogressively increasing toward a maximum value, as clearly shown inFIG. 3 of the drawings, as the reel becomes filled with wound material.As a consequence, the pressure of the thread upon the sensing devicewill progressively increase as the receiver becomes filled; and, evenwhen the thread is under relatively slight tension, its force componentupon the sensing device is sufficient to activate the same.

The driving motor 13 may conveniently comprise an alternating currentshort-circuit rotor motor having augmented rotor resistance, or themotor may comprise a Ferraris slip-bushing motor. In accordance with theteachings of the present invention, one winding Q-1 of the motor 13 maybe considered as the main motor winding and may be connected eitherdirectly, as shown, or through a suitable transformer, across a phase ofa power supply line L embodying the phase conductors W, X and Y and aneutral conductor Z, the main winding Q-1 being shown connected directlyacross the phase Y-Z of the power line. Another motor winding Q-2, whichfor convenience in reference may be called an auxiliary winding, iselectrically connected in a power supply system 17, including a motorenergizing circuit 18 connected with the auxiliary winding Q-2 and withmeans operable normally to supply electrical power in the circuit 18 ata value which lies between the maximum and minimum power requirements ofthe motor. Means is provided for increasing and decreasing the powerdelivered to the auxiliary winding Q-2 in accordance with the action ofthe sensing device S under the influence of variant tension conditionswhich occur in the filament F as it is delivered for winding upon thereceiver R.

To these ends, the secondary windings 19 and. 20 of transformers 21 and22 are interconnected in the circuit 18 in series with the auxiliarywinding Q2. The trans formers 21 and 22 respectively embody primarywindings 23 and. '24 energized from unlike phases of the supply line L,the primary winding 23 being connected with the phase W-Z of the powersupply line L, while the primary Wind'- ing 24 is connected between thephase conductors X and Y of the line through switching means Ccontrolled by the sensing device S. In multiple arrangements, in which aplurality of coil winding machines are disposed in sideby-side oradjacent relationship, the principal power sup ply transformer 21 may beinterconnected with the driving motors and regulating transformers 22"of the several machines arranged in parallel in order to supply all ofthem with power at the same basic potential.

The switching circuitry C, which controls the supply of energy to theauxiliary or voltage modulating transformer 22, is shown in detail inFIG. 4 of the drawings; and it operates under the control of the sensingdevice S to vary the delivery of energy in the motor energizing circuit18 by regulating the control transformer 22 in order to adjust theelectrical energy delivered to the motor through the circuit 18precisely to that required to drive the motor 13 at desired windingspeed. The switching means C functions not only to accomplish thechoking of the basic potential down to a minimum operating level, butalso to increase the potential in the motor energizing circuit up to amaximum desired value. Accordingly, it will be seen that the principaltransformer 21 may deliver power at a predetermined basic potential inthe supply circuit 18, while the control transformer 22 may function toregulate the intensity or duration, or number of successiv'e powerimpulses required to be added or subtracted in order at all times todrive the motor 13 at desired speed.

As shown more particularly in FIG. 4 of the drawings, the control systemC may comprise a pair of thyratron valves 25 interconnected, inrelatively reversed parallel relationship, in series with the primarywinding 24 of the transformer 22 between the phase conductors X and Y ofthe power supply line L, whereas the primary winding of the principaltransformer 21 is connected between the phase conduct'or W and theneutral conductor Z of the power line. It should be noted also that themain winding Q-1 of the motor 13 is energized from still another phaseY-Z of the power line. The-control grids and cathodes of the thyratronvalves 25 may be connected with suitable power sources for the purposeofactuating the valves, anda switch 26 may be provided forinterconn'ecting the control gridsof the valves in order to render thesame electrically conductive, such switch being controllably connectedwith the stem 14 of the sensing device so that the switch may benormally urged toward closed position by action 'of the spring 16 andwill become open when tension in the filament F exceeds a selectedvalue. So long as the switch 26 remains open, the control transformer 22will remain inactive and will function merely as a choke in the circuit18.

Accordingly, electrical energy at reduced potential will be supplied tothe motor 13, which, consequently, will operate with considerableslippage until filament tension is relaxed, thereby allowing the spring16 to close the switch 26. Upon activation of the thyratrons, powerdelivered through the control transformer 22 will be applied to modifyor' modulate that supplied in the circuit 18 through the principaltransformer 21, to thereby regulate the speed of the motor 13 in desiredfashion. When the spring 16 causes the switch 26 to close, therebyigniting the thyratrons'2'5, the motor will run faster than when theswitch is open. The system is so sensitive, even at high filamentdelivery speeds, that variations in thread tension are held at anexceedingly low level. Because of the character of the controltransformer 22, a relatively high potential can be employed in itsprimary circuit, whereby current delivered through the thyratron valvesmay be of relatively low value. The regulating impulse amplifier,accordingly, may have a low power rating. Any other suitable switchingcircuitry, including those disclosed in the aforesaid earlier filed andcopending application, may of course be employed for controlling theoperation of the voltage varying transformer 22.

As shown more particularly in the vector diagram comprising FIG. 5, themain winding Q1 is connected between the phase conductor Y of the powerline and the neutral conductor Z, while the auxiliary winding Q-2 isconnected between the phase conductor W and the neutral conductor Z ofthe power line, and, at intervals, between the phase conductors X and Yof the power line. When the switch 26 is open, the transformer 22 isinactive but functions to choke down the potential at which energy isdelivered in the circuit 18 by the transformer 21. The magnitude andphase position of potential in the circuit 18, when switch 26 is open,is indicated with its appropriate displacement angle 0 with respect tothe potential applied on the transformer 21 from the line conductors WZ.

As shown, the potential applied in the circuit 18 when the switch 26 isopen trails the potential applied to energize the basic transformer 21by an angle 6 of about 30, as indicated by the dotted vector line markedQ-2, the dotted vector line marked Q-1 indicating the potential appliedupon the other winding of the motor. Accordingly, the phase displacementof potential applied to the two motor windings amounts to 120+30-=l50.Since the motor is designed for operation with a potential phasedisplacement of 90 in the energy components applied on the windings Q-1and Q-2, it will operate at relatively low torque output, when theswitch 26 is open. Furthermore, as indicated in the vector diagram, thepotential applied upon the auxiliary winding Q-2 of the motor, whenswitch 26 is open, is sharply reduced by the choking effect of thesecondary winding of the transformer 22.

Upon closure of the switch 26, the summation of the potentials at whichenergy is applied in the circuit 18, by the secondary windings of thetransformers 21 and 22, is indicated by the vector line labelled Q'2,the same being the summation of the voltage vector Z--W, representingthe voltage applied in the circuit 18 through :the transformer 21, andthe vector X-Y extending in adire'ct io'n normal to the vector Z--W andrepresenting the voltage applied in the circuit 18 through thetransformer 22, The potentials applied in the line 18 by the twotransformers 21 and 22 are displaced 'by an angle of and -the angle ofdisplacement 0' between the potential Z-W, applied through thetransformer 21, and the potential applied upon the auxiliary winding Q-2of the motor, when the switch 26 is closed, is of the order of 30. Therelative phase displacement of potentials applied on the motor-windingsQ-l and Q'-2, consequently, is of the order of l20-30==90 therebydeveloping optimum torque in the motor, when the switch 26 is closed. Itwill be noted also that the vector line labelled Q'-2 indicates theapplication of energy on the motor winding at a voltage somewhat greaterthan the phase voltage Z--W applied through the transformer 21.

It is thought that the invention and its numerous attendant advantageswill be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it isobvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit orscope of the invention or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages,the form 'herein disclosed being a preferred embodiment for the purposeof demonstrating the invention.

The inventionis hereby claimed as follows:

1. A speed regulating system for an electric motor having a main and anauxiliary winding, comprising means for energizing said winding fromseparate sources of electrical power cyclically fluctuating at selectedfrequency and relatively displaced as to phase, and means operable atintervals to superimpose on said auxiliary winding regulatory electricalenergy fluctuating at like frequency and displaced as to phase withrespect to the energizing power applied thereon.

2. A speed regulating system for an electric motor having a main and anauxiliary winding, comprising means for energizing said windings fromseparate sources of electrical power cyclically fluctuating at selectedfrequency and relatively displaced as to phase by an angle of the orderof degrees, and control means for alternately increasing and decreasingthe phase displacement of energy applied on said auxiliary winding withrespect to that applied on the main winding. 1

3. A speed regulating system as set forth in claim 2, including meansfor alternately decreasing and increasing the voltage at which energy isapplied upon a said winding as the phase displacement of energy appliedupon the windings is increased and decreased.

4. A speed regulating system as set forth in claim 2,

wherein said control means serves to alter the phase displacement ofenergy applied upon the windings between angles of the order of 120:30degrees. 5. A speed regulating system for controlling the windmg speedof a filament receiver comprising an electric motor drivingly connectedwith the receiver, said motor having a main and an auxiliary winding,means for energlzing said windings on separate sources of electricalpower cyclically fluctuating at selected frequency and relativelydisplaced as to phase, and control means operable at intervals inresponse to variation in tension prevailing n the filament being appliedon the receiver to superimpose upon said auxiliary winding regulatoryelectrical energy fluctuating at like frequency and displaced as tophase with respect to the energizing power applied thereon.

6. A speed regulating system for an electric motor 'having a pluralityof windings, including a main winding and an auxiliary winding,comprising means for connecting the main winding with a source ofenergizng power fluctuating at selected frequency, a circuit fordelivering energizing power to the auxiliary winding, means connected insaid circuit for applying electrical power fluctuating at selectedfrequency and displaced as to phase with respect to the energy appliedon the main winding, and means for delivering in said auxiliary circuitregulatory energy of fluctuating character and displaced as to phasewith respect to the energizing power delivered in said auxiliarycircuit.

7. A speed regulating system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the phasedisplacement of energizing power in the main and auxiliary windings isof the order of one hundred twenty degrees.

,8; A speed regulating system as set forth in claim 6,

including means operable to vary the voltage at which energy is appliedon a said winding as the phase displacement of energy applied on thewindings is increased and decreased. 9. A speed regulating system as setforth in claim 6, wherein the phase displacement of energizing power inthe main and auxiliary windings is of the order of one hundred twentydegrees, and wherein the regulatory energy applied in said auxiliarywinding has a phase relationship such that the resultant energy producedin said auxiliary winding is displaced by an angle of the order ofthirty degrees with respect to the energizing power applied therein.

10. A speed regulating system for an electric motor having a pluralityof windings, including a main winding and an auxiliary winding,comprising means for connecting the main winding with a phase of apolyphase power supply line, a principal transformer adapted forconnection with another phase of said line, an auxiliary transformer andswitch means for connecting the same with still another phase of theline, and means for connecting the secondary windings of saidtransformers in series circuit with said auxiliary winding.

11. A speed regulating system as set forth in claim 10, wherein saidprincipal and auxiliary transformers are interconnected with unlikephases of the polyphase .motor is connected with the line to receiveenergy therefrom displaced as to phase by an angle of the order of 120degrees with respect to the energy applied on said principaltransformer.

12. A speed regulating system as set forth in claim 10, wherein themotor is drivingly connected with a file ment winding receiver, and theswitch means for connecting said auxiliary transformer with the powerline is controllingly connected with sensing means, responsive totension variations in the filament whereby to control winding speed inaccordance with tension conditions prevailing in the filament during thewinding operation.

13. A speed regulating system as setforth in claim 10, wherein theswitch means for controlling the auxiliary transformer comprises anelectronic switching system interconnected with the primary winding ofsaid auxiliary transformer means.

14. A speed regulating system as set forth in claim 10, wherein saidswitch means comprises an electronic switching system embodying a pairof thyratron valves connected in relatively reversed parallel relationand connected between the auxiliary transformer and the power supplyline, and a switch controllingly associated with said thyratron valvesand operable selectively to disable and to condition said valves foroperation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A SPEED REGULATING SYSTEM FOR AN ELECTRIC MOTOR HAVING A MAIN AND ANAUXILIARY WINDING, COMPRISING MEANS FOR ENERGIZING SAID WINDING FROMSEPARATE SOURCES OF ELECTRICAL POWER CYCLICALLY FLUCTUATING AT SELECTEDFREQUENCY AND RELATIVELY DISPLACED AS TO PHASE, AND MEANS OPERABLE ATINTERVALS TO SUPERIMPOSE ON SAID AUXILIARY WINDING REGULATORY ELECTRICALENERGY FLUCTUATING AT LIKE FREQUENCY AND DISPLACED AS TO PHASE WITHRESPECT TO THE ENERGIZING POWER APPLIED THEREON.